Cut-off-operating mechanism



Feb. 28, 1928.

5. LANGSTON ET AL CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 2a. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 28, 1928.

S. M. LANGSTON ET AL CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM Fil ed July 28, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. M. LANGSTON ET'AL Feb. 28, 1928.

CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM July 28. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,844

5. M. LANGSTON ET A L CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM MWW M Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,844

5. M. LANGSTON '121- AL CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 28. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 avwemtoz-a 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 S. M. LANGSTON ET AL CUT-OFF OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 28. 1927 Feb. 28, 1928.

.hu i Q 9 N N i H o 0 o 0 H M1. M- Q 0% H| H1 -1: I o o a o \W aw Q Q 4 0 a w Patented Feb.- 28, 1928. Q

UNITED STATES 1,660,844 PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. LANGSTON, OF WENONAH, AND KARL BIEG, OF BROOKLAWN, NEW JER- SEY, ASSIGNORS TO SAMUEL M. LANGSTON CO., CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A COB- IORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CUT-OFF-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to the cutting into sections and continuously delivering material, particularly the cutting into comparatively long sections of material delivered at a com- 6 paratively high rate. In such cutting it is necessary, or at least very desirable to bring the cutter to rest between successive cuts, and while the end which is to be cut off is advancing to the required distance.

The invention is particular] useful in connection with the cutting 0 stifl sheet material such as double-faced corrugated board, and the main object of the invention is to so control the cut-off mechanism as to secure a high degree of uniformity in the length of the cut-off sections. This is very important as waste results if the sections be out too long and the excess has to be trimmed off later, or if the sections be too short for the purpose intended, or cannot be out later into the required number of sub-sections or blanks.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism which will insure the movement of the cutter through one cycle of operations from one rest period to the next with the desired high speed at the instant of cutting, even though the cutter be of large size and corresponding momentum and the sheet be advancing at high speed.

In securing this object there are provided between the source of power and the cutter improved driving parts including a clutch and a brake, so designed, mounted and con- 0 nected that the cutter may be powerfully driven and positively stopped alternately and with the desired time interval in the rest position.

Timing means, such for instance as a target, are provided which will operate when the advancing end of the sheet or other material reaches a predetermined point, and as one important feature of the invention improved means are provided for initiating the cycle of movement of the cutter from said timing mechanism.

One great difliculty which has been encountered heretofore in the control of cut-oflz mechanism is in securing uniformityin the length of the cut-off sections during variations in the speed of the machine. If the machine be set for a given length of cut-ofi' section at a given speed, the length will be different if the speed be changed. This 1921. serial in. 208,534.

has r equired a manual readjustment of the position of the target each time the speed of the machine is increased or decreased, and has also resulted in certain waste during the acceleration to the desired speed on starting, and deceleration in stopping. This is because there is a substantially constant time interval between the instant the sheet strikes the target and the instant when the clutch 1S engaged, irrespective of the speed of operation of themaehine. Therefore, at high speed operation more material will pass a given point during this constant time interval than is the case during slow opera tion, and the cut-oil sections will be correspondingly longer. Another object of the present invention is to avoid this diificulty and automatically insure uniform length of section irrespective of the speed of the machine.

In securing this object we provide means for automatically varying the position which the cutter occupies during the rest osition in accordance with the speed, so t at for high speed of sheet travel the cutter-moves through a shorter distance from rest position to cutting position, and during a slow speed of sheet travel it moves through a longer distance from rest position to cutting position. Thus the time interval between target operation and actual cutting is varied and is made proportional to the speed of travel of the sheet. As a result of our invention high speed of sheet travel is accompanied by quick cutting, and low speed is accompanied by delayed cutting, so that the length of the cut-off section is kept constant, readustment of the target on changes of speed is not necessary,-and waste of material due to variations in the length of the sections is avoided.

Although our invention may be employed for the control of various types of cut-oif mechanism, the referred form hereinafter described and which involves various novel minor features of our invention has been designed for the control of a cut-off mechanism described and claimed in the Langston Patent 1,359,076, dated November 16th, 1920. This cut-oil mechanism is referably driven by elliptical gears as described and claimed in the Langston Patent 1,489,135, dated April'lst, 1924.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated an embodiment of our invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation looking in the direction of travel of the material.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section in a vertical lane and on a somewhat larger scale on the ine 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are ing mechanism, and

ig. 7 is a plan view of the drive.

The cut-off mechanism in connection with which the present invention is illustrated, embodies the general features of design disclosed in the Langston Patent 1,359,076, above referred to. A pair of upstanding arms 10 are pivotedat opposite sides of the machine on a transverse rock shaft or pair of pivot pins 11, and at their upper ends are connected by a transverse beam 12 which carries a knife or cutting member 13. Each arm 10 carries a pivot pin 14 on which is mounted a lever 15. The two levers at their upper front ends carry a transverse beam 16 on which is mounted the other knife or cutter 17. The arms 10 extend substantiall vertically so that the knife 13 swings back and forth substantially horizontally and approximately in the path of travel of the sheet. The knives 13 and 17 are at the same distance from the pivot ins 14 so that as the levers 15 are operate the knife 17 moves up and down and at its lower limiting position is slightly below the knife 13 so as to cooperate with the latter and give a shearing out.

As the members which carry the two knives are connected by the pivot pins 14 it will be apparent that the back and forth movement of the knife 13 in the direction of travel of the sheet will be accompanied by a corresponding back and forth movement of the knife 17. As the knife 17 also has a vertical movement its path of travel is substantially elliptical.

For imparting thedesired movement to the knives and their carrying members, there is provided a transverse shaft 18 mounted in the frame members 19 and having cranks 20 upon opposite ends. These cranks have crank pins 21 which are mounted in hearings in the ends of the levers 15. Thus, as the shaft 18 is rotated the lower rear ends of the levers 15 are caused to travel in a circular path and the front upper knife-carrying ends travel in a substantially elliptical path. For guiding the sheet between the knives and for preventing the edge of the sheet from lifting with the knife 17, there are provided a pair of guide plates 22- and 23. These are secured to the beam 12, one projecting downwardly and rearwardly, and the other 23, upwar ly and rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower front end of details of the cam shiftupper guide plate. The support 24 may fgrm or carry a wiper for cleaning the knife 1 For supporting the material in advance of the cutters these is provided a table or platform 25 which is mounted on brackets or side frame members 26. These also carry a feeding mechanism which includes a pair of rollers 27 and 28, the upper .roller 28 being carried by pivoted arms 29 so that it may rest by its own weight on the sheet of mate-' rial. The lower roller 27 may be driven in any suitable manner, as for instance by a sprocket chain 30 and a pair of sprocket wheels 31 and 32, the latter being on a constantly driven shaft 33. The rollers 27 and 28 serve to feed the material, although it will of course be evident that as the machine is generally mounted directly in the rear of some other machine which has prepared,

treated or manufactured the sheet material which is to be cut up, the feed rollers may be omitted from the cut-off mechanism and the material fed to the cut-off mechanism solely by the other machine mounted in advance thereof. Hereinafter in referring to sheet feeding mechanism we mean either the rollers 27, 28, or any other mechanism which may serve the same purpose even though on a separate machine in the path of movement of the material.

In operating the cut-off mechanism the shaft 33 is driven at a speed directly proportional to the speed of the machine which manufactures or treats the sheet material to be cut up. It may be driven directly from the same source of power, or may be directly driven from the other machine. As shown in Fig. 3, it is geared to a shaft 34 extending lengthwise of the machine at? one side, and constituting the main drive shaft from which all of the pieces of apparatus operating on the sheet are driven.

The mainfeatures of our invention involve the means for intermittently operating the shaft 18 from the constantly driven shaft 33. Between these shafts there is provided an intermediate shaft 37 geared to one of the first mentioned shafts, and having clutch connections to the other. In order to provide the desired high speed of rotation of the shaft'18, and to facilitate the stopping and starting of the latter, the shaft 37 is connected to the shaft 18 by a pair of elliptical gears 38 and 39 which are so positioned in respect to the crank arms 20 that the cutting will take place when the shaft 18 is in approximately the angular position at which the elliptical gears drive it the fastest.

The shaft 37 is rovided with a flywheel '40 relatively rotatagle in respect thereto, and having a sleeve driven from the shaft 33 by a pair of gears 41, 42. The relative sizes of these gears are such as to give the flywheel 40 the desired s eed in respect to 'the shaft 33, and to there y control the s eed of the cutter in respect to the s eed of t e machine. As shown, the drive sha t 34 drives the shaft 33 at lower s eed through a pinion and gear, and the shaft 33 drives the flywheel 40 at still lower speed as the pinion 41 is smaller than the gear 42.

For powerfully driving the cut-off operating shaft 37 from the flywheel 40 through one complete revolution and then ositively stopping it, the shaft 37 is providhdwith clutch and brake mechanism. The clutch is mounted inside of the flywheel 40, and includes brake shoes or clutch members 43 keyed to the shaft 37, and actuated by a none 44 s'lidable on the shaft. The brake is very similar to the clutch except that the brake or clutch shoes 45 are expanded in a non-rotatable cas ing 46 when the cone 47 is moved axially. The two cones 44 and 47 are connected together and face in opposite directions between the clutch and the brake so that they move simultaneously to engage the brake and disengage the clutch, or engage the clutch and disengage the brake. They are connected by a sleeve 48 within which there is a coil spring 49. The spring is between a shoulder on the sleeve and a collar 50 on the shaft, so that the spring normally tends to push the sleeve toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, that is, to engage the clutch and disengage the brake.

Means are provided for forcing the sleeve cndwise against the action of the spring, said means having trip mechanism so con structed that when released the spring acts to force the sleeve to clutch-engaging position. As it is desired to drive the cut-off mechanism through a single revolution and then bring it to a stop, the stop mechanism is operated from the cut-off mechanism, for instance from the shaft 18, but the rest position of the cut-off mechanism is controlled by the speed of travel of the sheet.

The mechanism for operating the brake and clutch includes a sleeve or collar 51 mounted on the sleeve 48 and with an end thrust bearing between it and the sleeve 48 at the end portion of the brake. This sleeve or collar 51 is provided with trunnions or other pivotal connections upon opposite sides to a gimbal ring 53. This ring is larger than the collar 51 so that it may tilt and its upper and lower edges may move through limited distances in the general direction of the length of the shaft 37. The gimbal ring is provided with a stop at one side and an actuating mechanism at the other. The actuating mechanism includes a shaft 54 geared to the shaft 18 so that the two will rotate at the same speed. The gearing shown includes a pair of miter 'gears 55, 56. The shaft 54 is provided with a cam 57 which engages a roller 58 on a bell crank lever 59. This lever is mounted on a pivot 60 carried by a bracket and the lower arm of the lever is pivoted to the gimbal ring 53. The arm which carries the roller 58 has an extension which is provided with a coil spring 61. Thus the roller is kept in engagement with the camand as the shaft rotates the roller is raised and lowered and the lower end of the lever is moved back andforth in the general direction of the length of the shaft 37. The stop mechanism includes a rock shaft 62 having an arm 63 which may move into or out of the path of movement of an arm 64 on the lower side of the gimbal ring.

Fig. 4 of the drawing shows the parts in the normal rest position with the clutch disengaged, the brake engaged, the shaft 54 at rest with the roller 58 in raised position, and with the arm 63 acting as a stop to prevent movement of the arm 64 toward the right.

When the advancing end of the sheet or other member to be cut off has reached a predetermined point controlled by a target or other apparatus, the shaft 62 is caused to oscillate to a limited extent in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 4. As soon as the end of the arm 63 passes below the contact face of the arms 64 the latter will instantly move toward the right because the spring is exerting an endwise thrust on the trunnions 52 and the upper side of the gimbal ring is prevented from moving toward the right by the engagement of the roller 58 on the high point of the cam 57. As the gimbal ring swings toward the right about its upper side as a center, the spring 49 forces the clutch into engagement and disengages the brake. Im-

.mediately'the shaft 54 starts rotating and the high point of the cam passes from beneath the roller so that the spring 61 swings the bell crank lever and moves the end which is connected to the gimbal ring toward the right. During this movement the trunnions 52 act as a fulcrum for the gimbal ring and the lower side of the gimbal ring moves toward the left to a point beyond the end of the arm 63. While in this position the shaft 62 is oscillated in the opposite direction to its initial or normal position. While these movements have been-taking place the shaft 54 has been continuously rotating and when approaching the end of a single revolution which corresponds to a single and swing the a lever toward the left. Now the arm 63 forms lower end of the bell crank a fulcrum for the gimbal ring and the movement of theupper side of the ring forces the sleeve 48 toward the left, disengages the clutch and en ages the brake to stop the cutter of the s aft 18 and bring the parts to rest in the osition indicated in Fi 4. The particu ar mechanism for oscillating the shaft 62 when it is desired to start the cut-off mechanism forms no portion of the present invention. Any. sheet measuring device or other mechanism may be employed with suitable operative connections to the shaft. 62. Preferably we employthe target and associated mechanism illustrated'in our copending applicationNo. 186,772, filed April 26th, 1927.

. Although the shaft 62 may be returned to normal position by the same mechanism that oscillates it counterclockwise from the osition shown in Fig. 4, we preferably provide means for positively returning it before the completion of a single revolution of the shaft 54. This mechanism as illustrated includes an arm 65 on the shaft 62 and a lever 66 pivoted intermediate of its ends with one end so positioned as to engage with the lever and swing it in a clockwise direction when the lever swings in the opposite direction. The upper end of this lever has a roller 67 in engagement with a cam 68 on the shaft 54, and rigidly connected to'the cam 57. The two cams 57 and 68 are so timed that the cam 68 operates on the lever 66 to swing the shaft 62 clockwise when the arm 64 of the gimbal ring is in a position at the left hand of its range of movement.

The shaft 62 also preferably has a third arm 69 which is connected to a spring 70 which swings the shaft 62 counterclockwise powerfully and rapidly when the shaft 62 is released by the target or other mechanism at the advancing end of the sheet.

The mechanism so far described is highly satisfactory and operates to give a uniform length of cut-off section when running at constant speed. If great accuracy is desired, and there is liabilit of operating at various different speeds, t ere is preferably provided the mechanism shown more particularly in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. By means of this mechanism, uniformity of section at varying speeds may be secured. The result is accomplished by automatically varying the rest position of the cut-off mechanism so that a greater or shorter time interval. will elapse between the trip and the actual cutting. The cam 57 operates to stop the cut-off mechanism and apply the brake as hereinbefore described. The position of the cut-off mechanism during the rest period is thus varied by. varying the relative positions of the cam 57 and the cut-off actuating shaft.

form of tar'get,

In the specific form illustrated the [cams 57 and 68 instead of being keyed to the shaft 54 are keyed to a sleeve 71 which latter may be oscillated in respect to the shaft 54. The sleeve 71 has diagonal slots 72 which receive pins or lugs73 on a longitudinally movable sleeve. 74. -This last mentioned sleeve is keyed to the shaft 54 and therefore rotates with .it'. By moving the sleeve 74 axially the sleeve 71 is rotated in one direc tion or the other, and the cams 57 and 68 are advanced orretarded. Although in some machines this sleeve 74 mi ht be moved 7 back and forth manually to ad ust the timing of the cut-off mechanism in accordance with the speed, we referably o' erate this sleeve 74 automatica ly in 'acc'or ance with the speed. As shown, it is provided with a nonrotatable actuating collar 75 connected thereto b suitable thrustbearin s, and this collar is connected to a lever 6 which is pivoted intermediate of its ends. The opposite end of this lever has a nut 77 which is threaded on a screw shaft 78 so'thatas this shaft is rotated. in one direction or the other the sleeve 74 is moved axially to advance or retard the cams. The shaft 78 is connected to actuating mechanism operated by or from the means which vary the speed of the machine.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated somewhat conventionally the ordinary Reeves drive. The power is delivered to the Reeves drive through a shaft 80 and from the Reeves drive to the machine through the shaft 81. These two shafts are parallel and have cone pulleys 82 and 83 connected by a. belt 84. By rotating a control handle 85 the shaft 86 is rotated. This, in turn, rotates a shaft 87 which may also have a control handle at the opposite side of the machine if desired, and shaft 87 drives a screw shaft 88. The latter has right and left hand threaded portions engaging nuts which latter engage levers 89 and 90 pivoted intermediate of their ends. As the screw shaft 88 rotates in one direction the sides of the pulley 82 are drawn together and the sides of the pulley 83 are spread apart to decrease the speed of the driven shaft, while upon rotating the screw shaft 88 in the opposite direction the power transmission ratio is altered in the opposite direction and the speed of the machine is increased. The details of this construction form no portion of our invention. This mechanism commonly known as a Reeves drive is illustrated merely as one practical and commercially satisfactory means for transmitting power to the cut-ofi mechanism illustrated and varying the speed of the latter. Any other suitable means might be employed for varying the speed of the machine upon the rotation of the control handle. If the drive be an electric motor the shaft 88 may be rotated to operate the llt rheostat or other circuit controller of the motor. 7 5

The shaft 86 is directly connected to the screw shaft 78 so that as the shaft 86 isrotated to increase or decrease the speed, the shaft 78 will be rotated to advance or retard the cams 57 and 68. The connecting mechanism is illustrated as including a shaft 91- driven from the shaft 86 by bevel gears, and having sprocket chain connections 92 to the screw shaft 78. In this way the screw shaft is positively operated by the mechanism which varies thespeed. Instead of positively and manually rotating the screw shaft 78, it may be operated automatically. For instance, the machine may have a centrifu al or other governor attached thereto whic may be operatively connected to a screw shaft 78 to rotate the latter in one direction upon increase in speed, and in the opposite direction upon decrease in speed.

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cut-off mechanism, means for intermittently stopping and starting the same, and means for varying the rest position in respect to the cutting position of said mechanism.

2. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cut-off mechanism having a cycle of movement including rest and cutting positions, means for intermittently stopping and starting the same, and means for advancing and retarding the rest position of said cut-off mechanism in respect to the cutting position, in accordance with the speed of travel of the material to be cut.

3. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cut-off mechanism, a cam for intermittently stopping said mechanism, and means for var ing the position of the cam in respect to t e mechanism. I

4. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cut-off mechanism, a cam for intermittently actuating said mechanism, and means for ad vancing or retarding the cam in respect to said mechanism in accordance with the speed of the material to be cut.

5.. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cutter, a member for intermittently starting said cutter, a member for stopping said outter after a c cle of movement, and means for varying t e rest position of one of said members in respect to the other.

6. In combination, means for continuously feeding material to be cut into sections, a cutter, means for moving said cutter from rest position through a single cycle of cutting movement to rest position, a cam driven by saidcutter for stopping the cutter in a rest position, and means for varying the position of the cam in respect to the cutter.

7. In combination, means for 'feedinr clutch foroperating said gear, a brake for stopping said mechanism after a single cyc e o o1perati0ns,'and means for operating said 0 utch and brake alternately.

8. In combination, means for feeding material to be cut into sections, a cut-off mechanism movable back and forth in the path of movement of the material, a clutch for operating said cut-off mechanism, a brake for stoppin said mechanism after a single cycle 0 operations, means including a cam driven from said cut-off mechanism for en gaging said clutch and brake alternately, and means for advancing 0r retarding the cam in respect to the cut-off mechanism.

9. In combination, feeding mechanism for continuously delivering material to be cut into. sections, a cutter movably back and forth in the path of movement of the material, an elliptical gear for driving said cutter at a speed varying at different points in the cycle of movement, a clutch for operating the cutter through said gear, a brake for stoppin it, means controlled by the movement 0 the material for releasing the brake and actuating the clutch, and means driven b the cut-off mechanism for releasing the c utch and operating the brake when the elliptical gear is in slow speed driving position.

10. A construction as defined in claim 9, having means for advancing and retarding the position of the cam to vary the rest posi tion of the cutter.

11. A construction as defined in claim 9, having means for varying the rest position of the cutter in accordance with the speed of movement of the material.

. 12. In combination a sheet feeding mechanism, a sheet cutter, means controlled by the sheet for starting the cutter, means controlled by the cutter for stopping the cutter in a rest position, and means for advancing or retarding said rest position in accordance with the speed of travel of the sheet.

13. In combination, sheet feeding means, a sheet cutter, means for intermittently starting the cutter, a cam for stopping the cutter, means for varying the speed of the feeding mechanism, and simultaneously advancing or retarding said cam.

14. In combination sheet feedin means, a sheet cutter, a cam actuated by t e cutter for stopping the cutter after each cycle of operations, a shaft driven by the cutter and connected to said cam, and means for oscillating said cam on said shaft to vary the position of the cutter when at rest.

15. In combination sheet feedin means, a sheet cutter, a cam actuated by t e cutter for stopping the cutter after each cycle of operations, a shaft driven by the cutter and connected to said cam, means for varying the speed of travel of the sheet to be cut, and means connected to said last mentioned means for advancing or retarding the cam.

16. In combination, a cutter, a drive shaft, a clutch and a brake on said shaft, a reciprocatory sleeve on said'shaft between said clutch and brake for operating them alternately, and a gimbal rlng on said sleeve, a trip in the path of movement of one side of the ring, and an actuating member engaging the ring at the other side.

17. In combination, sheet feedlng means, a sheet cutter, a shaft driven by said cutter, a cam on said shaft, a brake for stop ing the cutter, means actuated by said cam or'operating said brake when the cutter reaches a predetermined position in its cycle of movement, and means for varying the position of the cam in respect to the shaft to vary the rest position of the cutter.

18. A construction as defined in claim 17, in which the last mentioned means advances or retards the cam in res ect to the shaft in accordance with the spec of delivery of the material to be cut.

19. In combination, sheet feeding means, a sheet cutter, means for stopping the cutter in a rest (position after each cycle of operations, an means for controlling said last mentioned means in accordance with the speed of travel of the sheet.

20. In combination, sheet feeding means, a sheet cutter, a drive shaft, a clutch for connecting the drive shaft to the cutter, a brake for stopping the cutter, means for operating the brake and clutch alternately, means for varying the speed of said sheet feeding means, and means connected thereto for controlling the timing of the actuation of the brake.

21. In combination, feeding mechanism for continuously delivering material to be cut into sections, a cutter movable back and forth in the path of movement of said material, an elliptical gear for driving said cutter at a speed varying at different points in the c cle of movement, a clutch for operating t e cutter through said gear, a brake for stopping it, means for intermittentl releasing the brake and actuatin the c utch, and means driven by the cut-o mechanism for releasing the clutch and operating the brake when the elliptical gear is in slow speed driving position.

22. In combination, means for continuously feeding a web of material, a cutter for subdividing the web transversly into sections during the feeding movement, a clutch for driving said cutter, means acting intermittently to effect engagement of the clutch and the actuation of the cutter through a cycle of movements includin rest and cutting positions, a member riven by said cutter for disengaging said clutch and stopping the cutter in rest position, and means for varying the position of said member in respect to said cutter, whereby the distance through which said cutter travels from rest to cutting position is varied.

23. In combination, means for continuously feeding a web of material, a cutter for subdividing the web transversely into sections during the feeding movement, a clutch for driving said cutter, means acting intermittently to effect engagement of the clutch and the actuation of the cutter through a cycle of movements including rest and cutting positions, a member dI'lVGIl' by said cutter for disengaging said clutch and stopping the cutter in rest position, and means for varying the speed of said feeding means and simultaneously varying the position of said member in respect to said cutter.

24. In combination means for continuously feeding a web of material a cutter movable back and forth in the path of movement of said web, a clutch for driving said cutter, a brake for stopping it, means for intermittently efiecting engagement of said clutch to drive the cutter from rest position through cutting position and back to rest position, means connected to saidcutter for disengaging said clutch and actuating said brake to stop said cutter in rest position after a single cycle of movement, and means for varying the position of said brake actuating means in respect to said cutter to vary the rest position of said cutter in respect to the cutting position thereof in said cycle.

25. A construction as defined in claim 24 in which said position varyin means is automatically operated upon c ange in the speed of said feeding means.

26. An apparatus for subdividing a continuous web of sheet material transversely into sections, including feeding means for continuously advancing the web, a cut-off mechanism movable back and forth in the path of movement of the web, a crank shaft for operating said cut-off mechanism, an elliptical gear for driving said crank shaft, a clutch for drivin said ear and independent of the drive 0 said ceding means, and a brake operable only when the clutch is in non-driving position for stopping said mechanism after a single cycle of operations and when the elliptical gear is in slow s eed drivin position in respect to the crank s aft.

27. in apparatus for subdividing a continuous web of sheet material transversely into sections, including feeding means for continuously advancing the web, a cut-ofi mechanism movable back and forth in the path of movement of the web, a rotary mem ber for actuating said cut-off mechanism, gearing for rotating said member at a speed varying at different points in the cycle of revolution, a clutch for transmitting power to said gearing independent of the transmission of power to said feeding means, and a brake operable only when the clutch is in non-driving position and operating to stop said rotary member in the slow speed range of the cycle of the latter, whereby the mini-' mum power is required for effecting such stopping.

28. An apparatus for subdividing a continuous web of sheet material transversely into sections, including feeding means for continuously advancing the web, a cut-off mechanism, including a cutter member movable back and forth in the same path substantially parallel to the direction of the feeding movement of said web, a cooperating cutter member pivotally connected to the first mentioned member, a crankshaft having a crank connected to said second mentioned member for effecting relative movement of said members and back and forth movement of said first mentioned member, gearing for driving said crank shaft at speeds varying at different points in the cycle of rotary movement of the crank shaft, a clutch for transmitting power to said gearing ,and operating independently of the drive of said feeding means, and a brake operable only when the clutch is in nondriving position for stopping said crank shaft in the slow speed range of its cycle of movement and with said cutter members in open position and adjacent the back end of the stroke.

Signed at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, this 19th day of July, 1927. I

SAMUEL M. LANGSTON. KARL SIEG. 

